The Giants had the lead late in the fourth quarter, but Washington answered with a go-ahead touchdown in the final minute to escape MetLife Stadium with a 24–21 win.
Divisional Battle Comes Down to the Final Minute
The New York Giants went head-to-head with the Washington Commanders on Thursday night in an intense NFC East showdown at MetLife Stadium. After drawing with Washington earlier in the season, they were set to take care of business against the Commanders.
New York were looking to make it happen for most of the game. They fought through the cold, rainy conditions to trade touchdowns with the Commanders. In the 4th quarter, they led 21-17. However, the Commanders were able to score with under a minute remaining to get the emotional 24-21 win.
Cam Skattebo Leads the Giants’ Offense
One of the positives from New York was Cam Skattebo who returned from a hamstring injury to add two rushing touchdowns and 78 yards on 18 carries.
The rookie opened the scoring for the Giants with a touchdown run after a 16-play 72-yard drive in the second quarter to give them a 7-3 lead. He then added another touchdown in the third quarter to help New York take control of the game 14-10.
His physical running style provided a much-needed boost for the Giants in what was a tough day moving the ball.
Isaiah Likely Comes Up With a Huge Play
The Giants got a huge play from Isaiah Likely in the 4th quarter.
With Washington up 17-14, J.J. McCarthy found Likely on an amazing 66-yard touchdown strike giving New York the lead, 21-17, late in the 4th quarter. This gave the home crowd a lot to get excited about.
Likely finished the game with 9 catches for 127 yards and a touchdown. He was definitely one of McCarthy’s most dependable targets throughout the night.
McCarthy completed 22/32 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown. Though they lost, he did have some moments showing what this passing attack can be.
Jevon Holland Gives the Giants a Huge Defensive Moment
The Giants defense came through with several big plays, none bigger than Jevon Holland intercepting Jayden Daniels in the end zone.
This key turnover stopped a huge drive by Washington and let New York breathe with their four-point lead. Especially after Daniels hadn’t thrown an interception in over 200 attempts.
However, the Commanders would not be done.
With 57 seconds left to play, Daniels found Stefon Diggs for a 32-yard score to give Washington the lead back at 24-21. But the Giants were able to move down field one last time.
Unfortunately for New York, they couldn’t come up with a response and the Commanders took home the victory.
Players of the Game
Cam Skattebo: Two rushing touchdowns and 78 rushing yards. He really added some life to the Giants offense.
Isaiah Likely: Nine catches for 127 yards and a 66-yard touchdown.
J.J. McCarthy: Completed 22 of his 32 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown.
Jevon Holland: Made a huge interception in the red zone giving the Giants another chance to maintain their lead.
Stefon Diggs: 83 yards receiving and a touchdown to seal the game.
What Went Wrong for the Giants?
Despite a strong effort from the Giants, they made some critical mistakes.
They turned the ball over and lost a fumble by Malik Nabers in Washington territory.
On defense, they were unable to make the stop. After an interception from Holland that gave New York a chance to seal the game, Washington put together a drive to regain the lead.
The offense was also unable to seal the game. Despite opportunities, they were unable to create enough separation to seal the game.
When you play against a division opponent, you can come away with nothing after missing chances.
The Bigger Picture
This is a frustrating loss for the New York Giants as they were on the verge of sweeping Washington. Despite having the game at home, late lead and key defensive plays, they were unable to close out the game.
On the bright side, McCarthy was able to throw for 272 yards and Likely played like a beast. Skattebo also scored two touchdowns. Overall, the offense was able to make some explosive plays despite playing in tough weather.
The Giants will need to know how to close out games against division opponents.
Final Thoughts: One Minute Away From a Giants Victory
For most of Thursday night, the Giants gave their fans plenty to cheer about. Skattebo powered into the end zone twice, Likely delivered a huge fourth-quarter touchdown, and Holland came up with an interception that looked like it could seal the game.
But football can change in an instant.
Washington found the end zone with less than a minute remaining, turning what could have been a memorable Giants victory into a painful divisional loss.
The Giants had the lead, had the opportunity, and came within one final stop of getting the job done. Unfortunately, close wasn’t good enough on Thursday night.
